The shape of things to come

For Downtown Design’s ‘The Shape of Things to Come’ exhibition, regional designers and architects imagine how we may experience the built environment in the future, exploring themes such as public space, the environment and community.

The Productive Centre by MB Consultancy, United Arab Emirates

The global lockdown was a mass experiment that prompted the rise of remote working and in turn communicated its effectiveness in many ways.

This allowed the realisation that many of the neighbourhoods in which we reside in the UAE lack a diversity of function, resulting in isolated scenarios where spaces are dissected into stand-alone functions. There are neighbourhoods for living and working and those for entertainment.

Often, these areas are not within walking distance from each other. The Productive Centre by MB Consultancy considers the interconnectedness between residents and their neighbourhood to create hybrid communities that can be interrelated with the new wave of remote working.

As a result of the studio’s analysis of Dubai’s neighbourhoods, the team developed a prototype for communities that responds to current needs and future challenges. The Productive Centre is an evolution of a neighbourhood hub, comprising facilities that grant residents an opportunity to work remotely, socialise, workout and actively interact within their communities, with the aim of created truly integrated environments.

EVOLVE by Rabih Geha Architects, Lebanon

Post COVID-19, we are still able to visit a nightclub we just need to find a different way to do it.